Picture of author.

Bernardine Evaristo

Author of Girl, Woman, Other

16+ Works 4,204 Members 189 Reviews 1 Favorited

About the Author

Bernardine Evaristo was born in London to a Nigerian father and English mother. She is a former poet in residence at the Museum of London.
Image credit: Publicity photo by Katie Vandyck, available at author's website.

Works by Bernardine Evaristo

Girl, Woman, Other (2019) 2,896 copies
Blonde Roots (2009) 430 copies
Mr Loverman (2013) 316 copies
The Emperor's Babe (2001) 240 copies
Soul Tourists (2005) 60 copies
Hello Mum (2010) 47 copies
Lara (1997) 40 copies
NW15: The Anthology of New Writing Volume 15 (2007) — Editor — 17 copies
Ten: New Poets Spread the Word (2010) — Editor — 6 copies
Hello Mum (Quick Reads) (2010) 5 copies
Feminism (2023) 5 copies
Island of Abraham (1994) 2 copies

Associated Works

Minty Alley (1936) — Introduction, some editions — 110 copies
My Fathers' Daughter (2005) — Introduction, some editions — 82 copies
How Much the Heart Can Hold: Seven Stories on Love (2016) — Contributor — 26 copies
Black Teacher (1976) — Foreword, some editions — 22 copies
Loud Black Girls: 20 Black Women Writers Ask, What's Next? (2020) — Foreword, some editions — 18 copies
Sequins for a Ragged Hem (1988) — Introduction, some editions — 18 copies
IC3: The Penguin Book of New Black Writing in Britain (2000) — Contributor — 16 copies
Out of Bounds: British, Black, and Asian Poets (2012) — Contributor — 13 copies
Bittersweet (1998) — Contributor — 10 copies
Refugee Tales: Volume III (2019) — Contributor — 7 copies
Gifts of Gravity and Light (2021) — Foreword — 5 copies

Tagged

2019 (19) 2020 (42) 2021 (19) 21st century (24) Africa (24) alternate history (38) audiobook (25) black women (21) book club (19) Booker Prize (68) Booker Prize Winner (32) Britain (21) British (31) British literature (29) contemporary (24) contemporary fiction (33) ebook (28) England (68) feminism (78) fiction (393) historical fiction (29) Kindle (26) LGBTQ (36) literary fiction (23) literature (26) London (50) memoir (22) non-fiction (23) novel (51) poetry (41) race (44) racism (45) read (38) read in 2020 (23) short stories (33) slavery (34) to-read (357) UK (26) unread (20) women (58)

Common Knowledge

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Reviews

Unequivocally the best book I have read this year.

Every page is perfect, every sentence, gosh, every word. Evaristo takes twelve vastly different women, connected in ways obvious and subtle, profiling their lives, their agonies, their battles and loves, self-deceptions, losses, doubts, and triumphs. Throughout she maintains that delicate ironic tone that characterises much of the best of British literature.

This is a book very much of the now, touching on numerous current cultural debates, in a manner that feels authentic and precise. It is a truly polyphonic experience. This is great literature but also very much a novel in every sense of the word.

I cannot recommend highly enough.
… (more)
 
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therebelprince | 125 other reviews | Oct 24, 2023 |
Wonderful prose.

True to human nature, and how people can grow together and apart equally as fast.
 
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Alin.Llewellyn | 1 other review | Oct 3, 2023 |
I almost didn't read this book because it was described as "free verse," which isn't my favorite genre. However, I opened it up and Bernardine Evaristo drew me into stories upon stories that intertwined and circled back to people whose life stories I devoured. I can understand why this book won the 2019 Booker Prize. It is unforgettable, and the women whose lives I entered through this book will be in my heart and mind forever. A must-read for anyone interested in women's stories, England and the immigrant black experience there, and history. Most highly recommended.… (more)
 
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sharishaw49 | 125 other reviews | Sep 20, 2023 |
Interesting short read, never knew London was like this. Even in fiction. It’s hard breaking
 
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vdt_melbourne | 2 other reviews | Jul 31, 2023 |

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Associated Authors

Maggie Gee Editor
Richard Bravery Cover designer
Ali Campbell Cover artist
Karan Singh Cover artist
Lette Vos Translator
András Boda Translator
Ron Butler Narrator
Anni Sumari Translator

Statistics

Works
16
Also by
13
Members
4,204
Popularity
#5,981
Rating
4.1
Reviews
189
ISBNs
135
Languages
16
Favorited
1
Touchstones
231

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